Vacuum cleaner with cord ring



Jan. 26, 1965 c. G. FRANTZ 3,166,777

VACUUM CLEANER WITH CORD RING Filed April 1, 1965 INVENTOR.

'Aba/cf 6. CPA/V72 United States Patent O 3,166,777 VACUUM CLEANER WITHCORI) RING Clarence G. Frantz, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assigner toFrantz Electric Industries Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation ofFlorida Filed Apr. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 269,602 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-323) Thisinvention relates generally to vacuum cleaners and more particularly ltoa novel land improved canister type vacuum cleaner having a rim aroundwhich the electric cord can be stored and within which the cleaner toolsmay be stored.

Canister and tank type cleaners are normally provided with a variety oftools, each of which is designed to efflciently perform a particulartype of cleaning operation. It is desirable to retain all of these toolswith .the cleaner so that they are conveniently available for use at alltimes. It is also desirable to permit the convenient storage of thetools with the cleaner during periods of nonuse so that one or more ofthe tools will not become lost or misplaced.

Still further, it is desirable to arrange the cleaner with a convenientmeans for easily' and neatly storing the electric cord during periods ofstorage so that the cord will not become tangled or caught with otheritems also stored in the same location as the cleaner.

In a vacuum cleaner incorporating this invention, a circular ring or rimis mounted on the upper end of the n housmg wh1ch provides a reel for acord storage `and also supplies a tray for the tool storage. Therefore,the tools are conveniently stored with the cleaner so that they will notbecome mislaid or lost and are always available when the cleaner is inuse. These useful functions are achieved by a simple low-cost structurewhich also serves Ito enhance the appearance of the cleaner and protectit ,against damage. n

It is an important object of this invention to provide a novel andimproved combination cord reel and tool storage structure for vacuumcleaners and the like.

It is another important object of the invention to provide a novel andimproved canister type cleaner having a rim portion at the upper endthereof for storing the electric cord of the cleaner and also thevarious cleaning tools.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a novel andimproved vacuum cleaner of Ithe canister type having a decorative rim onthe upper end thereof which enhances the appearance of the cleaner andserves the function of providing for storage of the electric cord andcleaning tools.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a novel andimproved canister type vacuum cleaner having a flanged rim on the uppersurface thereof and a centrally located handle wherein the flanged rimis arranged for storage of the electric cord and the area within the rimaround the handle is for the storage of the cleaning tools.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the followingdescription and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a canister vacuum cleanerincorporating this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 1 illustrating thecleaner with the electric cord wrapped for storage around the rim andcleaning tools supported on the cleaner; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary section illustrating one preferred structureof the rim and its mounting upon the housing of the vacuum cleaner.

This invention is illustrated as incorporated in a typical canister typevacuum cleaner having a housing supported for rolling along the floor oncasters 11. Lo-

3,166,777 Patented Jan. 26, 1965 be connected or mounted either directlyon Ithe hose 12 or the Wand. Each of these tools 16, 17 and 18 isproportioned and constructed to efficiently perform a particular type ofcleaning operation. Therefore, it is customary in the use of the vacuumcleaner to frequently change the tools and use that tool best suited forthe particular operation being performed. It is, therefore, desirable toretain all of the tools with the cleaner at all times so that each toolwill be conveniently available for use.

An electric cord 19 extend-s through a grommet 20 in the housing 10 tothe electric motor and is provided with a normal household type plug atits end.

The housing 10 is formed with a generally, circular upper end wall orsurface 21 joined to a side wall 22 by a conical portion 23 and a radiusportion 24. Mounted on the upper end 21 of the housing 10 is a mountingrim 26 formed with a cylindrical portion 27 and an inwardly extendinglower end ilange 2S. The mounting rim 26 is also formed with spacedoutwardly extending radial flanges 29 and 31 at opposite ends of thecylindrical portion 27. Screws 32 fasten the flange 28 tothe end wall 21of the housing 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting rim isformed of two pieces 33 and 34 each formed'as a stamping. The piece 34has a cylindrical section 36 spot-welded to the cylindrical portion 27and provides the flange 31.

A ring 37 molded of plastic material such as vinyl plastic or any othersuitable material is mounted on the mounting ring 26. The'plastic ring37 is formed with a veritcally extending portion 35 and integrallyformed spaced outwardly extending flanges 38 and 39 at opposite endsthereof. The inner Wall of the ring 37 is recessed at 41 to ilt over thecylindrical section 36 of the piece 34 and is formed with radiallyextending grooves 42 and 43 to receive the flanges 29 and 31,respectively. The upper flange 38 of the ring 37 is formed with aconical upper surface 44 and a conical lower surface 46 which areproportioned to converge as they extend toward a radius 47 joining theirends. The central portion 35 is formed with an increasing radius as itextends downward toward the flange 39 and is blended at both ends byradius portions 48 and 49 to the inner walls of the ilanges 38 and 39. Abead 51 is formed at the outer extremity of the ilange 39 and isproportioned to engage the conical portion 23 of the housing 10.Preferably the cylindrical portion 27 of the mounting ring 26 has adiameter greater than the upper end of the conical portion 23 to providea recess between the lower lange 31 of the mounting ring and the conicalportion 23. An inwardly extending projection 52 on the ring 37 extendsinto this recess and provided stillness for the ring.

The material of the ring 37 is sufliciently elastic to permit the ring37 to be stretched over the mounting ring 26 and snapped into position.Also the ring is molded so that the bead 51 presses tightly against theconical portion 23 of the housing 10 to prevent entry of dirt and thelike.

A U-shaped handle 53 is mounted with one leg thereof on the end 21 ofthe housing 10 and is located centrally of the mounting ring 26. Theopposite leg of the handle area??? provides a comfortable gripping1portion used when the cleaner is carried.

The zone within the mounting ring 26 provides suficient capacity for thestorage of the tools and nozzles not being used at vany given time.Therefore, the tools are carried by the cleaner both during the use ofthe cleaner and during the storage thereof. The cord i9 is Wound aroundthe ring 37 between the ilanges 33 and 39, as illustrated in FIGURE 2,when the cleaner is not in use so that it is conveniently and easilystored and is not suojected to angling or the like` A vacuum cleanerincorporating this invention is attractive in appearance and utilitarianin lfunction since it provides a convenient storage for the tools not inuse and a convenient cord drum to receive the electric cord when thevacuum kcleaner is not in use. The plastic ring 37 serves to protect thecleaner and furniture since the plastic is resistant to chipping,denting and scratching. ln addition the plastic ring operates, by itsengagement with and mounting on the housing to dampen vibration andreduce noise.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated, it isto be understood that various modifications and rearrangements of `partsmay be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention asdeiined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l;V A vacuum cleaner comprising a housing, having a generally horizontalupper surface, a metallic rim mounted on said upper surface formed withan upstanding portion and radially extending spaced flanges at each endof said portion, and a ring of molded plastic fitting around said rimand formed with grooves into which said flanges extend, said ring havingspaced radially extending llanges and an upwardly extending sectiontherebetween, the inner portion of said ring above the upper one of saidilanges of said rim extending into substantial alignment with the innersurface of said Aupstanding lportion whereby the upper edge of saidmetallic rim is substantially covered by said plastic ring.

2. A canister vacuum cleaner comprising a housing having a circularhorizontal upper end joined directly to a conical section, a rim mountedon said upper end having a lower flange extending laterally beyond saidupper end, said rim including a vertically extending portion if joinedto said lower ilange, a flexible molded ring mounted on said rim formedwith an upper laterally extending ilange and a lower laterally extendingflange spaced from said upper flange, the extremity of said lower flangeof said ring tightly engaging said con-ical section, and a handlecentrally located within said rim mounted on said upper end.

3. A canister vacuum cleaner comprising a housing having a circularhorizontal upper end joined directly to a con-ical section, a rimmounted on said upper end having a lower llange extending laterallyalong said upper end, said rim including a vertically extending portionjoined to said lower llange, a flexible molded ring mounted on said rimformed with an upper laterally extending llange and a lower laterallyextending ilange spaced from said upper ange, a bead on the extremity ofsaid lower lange of said ring tightly engaging said conical section, anda :handle centrally located within said rim mounted on said upper end.

4. A canister vacuum cleaner comprising a housing having a circularhorizontal upper end joined directly to a conical section, a rim mountedon said upper end having a lower llange extending laterally beyond saidupper end above and spaced from said conical section, said rim includinga vertically extending portion joined to said lower ilange, a ilexiblemolded ring having a portion extending 'between said conical section andsaid lower flange of said rim, said rim formed with an upper laterallyextend-ing flange `and a lower lateral-ly extending flange spaced fromsaid upper flange, the extremity' of said lower ilange of said ringtightly engaging said conical section, an a hand-le centrally locatedwithin said rim mounted on said upper end.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,779,432 Meyerhoefer Jan. 29, 1957 2,918,692 Marti-nec Dec. 29, 1959FOREIGN PATENTS 41,554 Netherlands Sept. 15, 1937 57,630 Netherlands Mayl5, 1946

1. A VACUUM CLEANER COMPRISING A HOUSING, HAVING A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL UPPER SURFACE, A METALLIC RIM MOUNTED ON SAID UPPER SURFACE FORMED WITH AN UPSTANDING PORTION AND RADIALLY EXTENDING SPACED FLANGES AT EACH END OF SAID PORTION, AND A RING OF MOLDED PLASTIC FITTING AROUND SAID RIM AND FORMED WITH GROOVES INTO WHICH SAID FLANGES EXTEND, SAID RING HAVING SPACED RADIALLY EXTENDING FLANGES AND AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING SECTION THEREBETWEEN, THE INNER PORTION OF SAID RING ABOVE THE UPPER ONE OF SAID FLANGES OF SAID RIM EXTENDING INTO SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID UPSTANDING PORTION WHEREBY THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID METALLIC RIM IS SUBSTANTIALLY COVERED BY SAID PLASTIC RING. 